Business and restaurant owners along Calgary’s 17 Avenue S.W. have been struggling with pandemic and now, they are navigating a concern in crime.
Riaz Khan owns Philosáfy Coffee and for the first time since they opened six years ago, they’ve had to deal with a string of break-ins in just the last few weeks.
“The first time we had our safe gone, floats from the tills, iPads, computers. And the second time, another random person took the till and then a week after that — for the third time — they smashed the front door with a crowbar,” Khan said.
“We are worried every other night thinking we are going to wake up and see another break-in.”
According to the president of the Alberta Hospitality Association, it’s a recurring scene at a number of other stores along the avenue.
“The break-ins are happening multiple times a week,” Ernie Tsu said.
“Restaurants are trying to fight their way out of last two years of lockdown and debt. This is the last thing they need.”
It’s happening with such unusual frequency, even the commercial glass replacement companies are challenged with material shortages and choked supply chains. Adam Burtch with Alpine Glass said they’ve never seen anything like it.
“There’s an increased number of desperate individuals and they are breaking in tons and tons. We also service LRTs and they are getting ripped apart,” Burtch said.
The costs are also rising.
“Since May of last year, we’ve looked at a 35-40 per cent increase in glass costs and lead times from two to six weeks, sometimes eight weeks. It’s been a dramatic increase,” Burtch said.
Calgary police have been tracking this troubling trend. Compared to the month of March last year, there’s been an 80 per cent increase in break-ins.